Satyricon (band)

This article is about the Norwegian black metal band. For other uses, see Satyricon (disambiguation).

Satyricon
Background information
Origin	Oslo, Norway
Genres	Black metal
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Moonfog, Century Media, Sony BMG, EMI, Roadrunner
Website	http://www.satyricon.no/
Members
Satyr Frost

Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band, and the first one in the genre to join a multi-national record label (EMI).

Biography

Satyricon performing live at Norway Rock Festival in 2009

Satyricon performing live at Hole In The Sky in 2011

Contrary to popular belief^{[citation needed]}, Satyricon was never called Omnipotence. According to Exhurtum (Carl-Michael Eide), he and Wargod (Vegard Blomberg) started the band in 1990, playing death metal influenced by Cadaver^{[citation needed]}, Carcass^{[citation needed]} and Napalm Death^{[citation needed]}. Lemarchand (Håvard Jørgensen) joined shortly thereafter. At that time they were called Eczema. In 1991, they decided to start playing black metal, so the name was changed to Satyricon and then Satyr (Sigurd Wongraven) joined the band. After the first demo, Exhurtum was kicked from the band "cause I preferred hanging out with my girl at the time rather than kicking down gravestones together with the band", while Wargod left the music scene and became a UN soldier afterwards^{[citation needed]}. Lemarchand was kicked out after the second demo.

The band's first album Dark Medieval Times showed off the fascination Satyricon had with the Middle Ages and featured raw black metal blast beats produced by Frost, mixed with acoustic guitar and flute. On their next album, The Shadowthrone, this medieval spirit was continued. Satyricon’s third album, Nemesis Divina was released in 1996. Rebel Extravaganza, Satyricon’s fourth album, was released in 1999. It contained more influences from other genres, e. g. hard rock, than the previous albums.

In April and May 2000, Satyricon toured as a supporting band for Pantera. Phil Anselmo has spoken of his love for black metal numerous times, and has participated in some extreme metal projects with Satyricon frontman Satyr. They used to be signed with Daron Malakian's music label EatUrMusic.

Regarding one of their latest albums, Volcano, frontman Satyr stated in a press release / biography on their homepage that "the music is rock based but more extreme; it is black metal pushing the boundaries that began with bands like Venom and Bathory, reinventing ourselves based on a foundation of rock oriented black metal is our philosophy." It resulted in a total of 4 Awards for Volcano being, the Norwegian Grammy for "Best Metal Album", an Alarm award for "Fuel For Hatred" in the category for "Song of the Year", as well as The Alarm Award for "Metal Album of the Year" and The Oslo awards for "Best Overall Album".

Satyricon participated in the Darkthrone tribute Darkthrone Holy Darkthrone, released by Moonfog Productions in 1998, covering the song Kathaarian Life Code. Also in 1998, Satyricon participated in the Bathory tribute In Conspiracy With Satan, released by Hellspawn/No Fashion Records, covering the song "Born for Burning". In 2006, Satyricon released Now, Diabolical. The album was somewhat controversial among black metal fans due to its somewhat “radio friendly” take on black metal.

In March 2008, the band headlined the Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo for the first time.

The EP My Skin Is Cold is also included on their latest album, The Age of Nero which was released on November 3, 2008.

Band members

Satyricon was formed by the bassist Wargod and drummer Exhurtum. Lemarchand and Satyr both joined the band shortly after the formation, but after the recording of the first demo the two founders left the band – Exhurtum would later go on to become drummer in Ulver and guitarist in several other bands, while Wargod changed musical style and has collaborated with e.g. Apoptygma Berzerk – however, he returned shortly to Satyricon in 1999 as session musician where he did effects for the EP Intermezzo II.

So left members, Satyr and Lemarchand, hired the drummer Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad) as a session musician and recorded their second and last demo. Shortly after this, Lemarchand also left the band. But before leaving the band he recorded guitars (uncredited on the booklet) for the first full-length album, Dark Medieval Times. In the meantime Frost was being 'promoted' as a permanent member and in that way he recorded drums for the before-mentioned first full-length album. Satyricon has — with two exceptions — been a two-man band ever since: In the period 1993-1996 the guitarist Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen (famous as 'Samoth' from Emperor) was the bassist and guitarist of Satyricon, and participated in the recording of their second album, The Shadowthrone, and later in 1996 the vocalist of Darkthrone, Nocturno Culto (Ted Skjellum, known as "Kveldulv" during Satyricon's period), became guitarist on the third full-length Satyricon album, Nemesis Divina.

Current members

• Satyr (Sigurd Wongraven) – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass (1991–present)
• Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad) – drums (1993–present)

Current live members

• Steinar Gundersen (also known as "Azarak") – lead guitars (1999–present)
• Gildas Le Pape – rhythm guitars (2008–present)
• Brice Leclercq – bass (2009–present)
• Jonna Nikula – keyboards (2003–present)

Former members

• Wargod (Vegard Blomberg) – bass (1991–1992), effects (1999)
• Exhurtum (Carl-Michael Eide) – drums (1991–1992)
• Lemarchand (Håvard Jørgensen) – guitars (1991–1993), bass (1993)
• Samoth (Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen) – bass, guitars (1993–1996)
• Kveldulv (Ted Skjellum – also known as Nocturno Culto) – guitars (1996–1997)

Discography

Studio albums

• Dark Medieval Times (1994)
• The Shadowthrone (1994)
• Nemesis Divina (1996)
• Rebel Extravaganza (1999)
• Volcano (2002)
• Now, Diabolical (2006)
• The Age of Nero (2008)

EPs

• Megiddo (1997)
• Intermezzo II (1999)
• My Skin Is Cold (2008)

Singles

• K.I.N.G. (2006)
• The Pentagram Burns (2006)
• Black Crow on a Tombstone (2008)

Compilation albums

• The Forest Is My Throne / Yggdrassil (1995)
• The Box Set (1998, 3 LPs)
• Ten Horns - Ten Diadems (2002)

Demos

• All Evil (1992)
• The Forest Is My Throne (1993)

Videography

• Mother North (1996)
• Roadkill Extravaganza (2001)

Music videos

• Mother North (1997)
• Fuel for Hatred (2002)
• K.I.N.G (2006)
• The Pentagram Burns (2006)
• Black Crow on a Tombstone (2008)

External links

• Official website